Snowy Hearts
by Artemis Fenir
Summary: "The snow always reminded him of a certain stuffy, adorable seventh year Slytherin. " Potteralia, USUK, fluuuuuuuff!


It was snowing, a light and fluffy snow, the kind that Alfred F. Jones loved to stand in. Being the only American in Hogwarts was bad enough, but when he mentioned that it almost NEVER snowed in Texas, well, if he wasn't such a hero, he would have felt pretty damn small when everyone laughed at him. He had been curious about it since the minute he first saw it, and over the years, the sixth year Gryffindor grew to love it. The snow always reminded him of a certain stuffy, adorable seventh year Slytherin.

He grinned, wrapping his gold and crimson scarf tighter around his neck. The snow started to kiss his face softly as he tilted his chin upwards, and the flakes seemed to ruffle themselves into his hair like fingertips. Oh yes, the snow _always_ reminded him of his boyfriend.

It was actually in the snow where they first met each other, a confused first year and a snobby second year. He bumped into an ill-humoured Arthur Kirkland, who then promptly bit his head off.

X

"_Bloody git, watch where you're going! Are those glasses just for show?" The older boy's face was red, whether from the cold or anger, Alfred couldn't guess._

"_Uh, sorry, dude, I just dunno where I'm going and I've never seen snow before, so I was kinda just... y'know, watching it."_ _He smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head._

"_You've... never seen snow?" _Here it goes, _the American boy sighed_, another one to make fun of me. _He then noticed his expression, thoughtful and almost saddened, then softened. "Why, that's horrible, chap. I love snow, it's like diamond dust falling from the sky."_

"_Diamond dust, huh?" He looked up at the sky, ignoring the snow splattering and melting on his glasses, and smiled._ "_Yea, I guess you're right." It was then that something caught his attention. "Hey, you're in Slytherin!"_

_The once gentle expression_ _turned into a scowl much like the second year wore earlier._ _"How astute of you to notice..._"

"_This is great! I want to make a least five friends from every house, and I haven't met _anyone_ in Slytherin yet! So... wanna be my first?" Alfred gave his best puppy expression to his elder, hoping the older boy had a soft spot. Lucky for him, he did._

_He sighed, then smiled gently, and Alfred beamed at it, thinking it was the most lovely smile he had ever seen (besides his own, of course). "Alright, fine, I suppose it wouldn't hurt." The Slytherin boy held out his hand. "Arthur Kirkland, second year."_

_Alfred beamed even harder (if it was possible) and thrusted his hand out, merrily shaking his new friend's. "Alfred F. Jones, first year!"_

X

Since that day, the two boys were best friends and almost inseparable (although Arthur claimed it was because the American _refused_ to leave him alone). It always seemed like the older British boy was annoyed with him, and for a while that was what he thought, but when he would take the young Gryffindor's hand and drag him to watch it snow, Alfred knew better. And he didn't mind being dragged away from whatever he was doing, as long as it was Arthur.

He glanced over, his eyes falling on a bench in the courtyard, quickly being covered with the falling snow. His heart swelled with pride, knowing that was _their_ seat, and always would be. He wandered absently if he could convince the Headmaster to let him buy it from the school. After all, it held the reminder of their first kiss.

X

_They were well into their fourth and fifth year, their routine solidly set into place. Neither of them cared if their robes would get soaked as they both sat on the stone bench, Alfred plopping and Arthur gentlemanly sitting. They sat so close together, both claiming it was for body heat. The snow was falling ever so slowly, sparkling in the sunset._

_Alfred felt nervous, his insides turning to a curious mixture of jello and something prickly. He had been trying to figure out how to confess his feelings to his best friend. No matter what amazing plan he put into action, he always chickened out._

"_It's always so peaceful, the snow is." The soft murmuring from the object of hi musings snapped him back into reality. "Even when it's storming, the snowflakes themselves look as if they are gliding ever so gracefully."_

_Alfred looked over at Arthur, taking in the blissful and wonderful sight of the older boy. In that moment, he wanted nothing more then to cover those smiling lips with his own, burying his fingers in that snow-covered head of hair, and press his body against his for reasons other than warmth._

_And that is exactly what he did._

_He could feel the shock from the Slytherin, the boy tensing in surprise. He didn't give up, however, knowing that if he just stayed there, maybe... just maybe..._

_When he felt Arthur relax and lean in, moving his lips against his, his whole world exploded into fireworks and drifted down gracefully like snow._

X

Every kiss after that was just as special and just as amazing, but that would always be their most _special_ and most _amazing_.

Alfred ran a finger over his lips, thinking about the kiss they shared not even an hour ago. He chuckled as he remembered having to hide behind a column in the Gryffindor study as his boyfriend pulled him down for a kiss. Arthur was never one for public displays for affection - unless it was snowing.

The snow started to pick up, the wind forcing its descent faster. It was still pleasant, and Alfred could only open his arms wide and spin around, laughing quietly to himself. It was snow such as this that he loved the most, because it was snow such as this where they first made love. Well, not _quite_ such as this...

X

"_Artiiiiiie, c'mon! No one will even know you're in here. Mattie snuck into Ivan's room, so it'll just be us!" The bespectacled boy whined, using his puppy eyes for good measure. Having been with his stuffy Slytherin for a year and aced his O.W.L.'s, Alfred wanted to celebrate... by some after-curfew snuggling._

_Of course, that was only going to happen if he could convince his rule-loving boyfriend to agree to it._

"_Absolutely _not_, Alfred. I'm not going to break the rules, just because you deem them _dumb _and not worth _following_." Green eyes glared at him while their owner crossed his arms stubbornly._

"_But baaaaaabe, please! I passed my O.W.L's with flying colors! Shouldn't you reward me?"_

"_And rule-breaking is rewarding how, exactly?"_

_Alfred wagged his eyebrows lewdly. "Why don't we find out?" he purred, grinning seductively. Judging by the way his prim and proper Slytherin blushed and bit his lower lip, he knew he had won._

_It wasn't like they had tried several times to get a little more than touchy-feeling before and always got caught and he just provided the perfect excuse to finally go all the way. He wasn't unfairly using that to his advantage. Honest._

"_Fine, fine... Let's go." _

"_Yes!" He grabbed onto the older boy's hand and drug him up the stairs until they reached the Gryffindor entrance and entered with no problem. The Fat Lady was a sucker for romance, and Alfred only had to tell her a little bit about his undying love for Arthur for her to break down sobbing about 'tragic love' and agree to help him._

_It wasn't long before they were rolling around and pinning each other against Alfred's bed, ripping and tugging robes and clothes off, kissing the living daylights out for the other. As much as he hated to, Alfred pulled himself away, panting. He had planned this for too long, and he wasn't going to _not_ do this._

"_Alfred, dear, what - ?"_

"_Hold on, Artie, I... I have something I wanna do." Looking at his boyfriend's confused face, he grinned and got up, shuffling around until he found his wand. "Ah, here it is! Now, if I can juuuust remember... _Eam nive!_"_

_He flicked his wand, and a small cloud appeared above the four-poster bed. Arthur looked up curiously as he watched it grow bigger until... "Snow?"_

_The younger boy blushed, scratching his head. "Yea... I just thought... since we've had all over other first's in the snow, like first meeting and first kissing, I-I... I thought we should make this first in the snow, too." _

_He suddenly felt pretty damn dumb. He should have realized this was _too_ cheesy. He probably just made Arthur want to laugh at him - _

"_It's wonderful, pet. Thank you."_

_The glittery tears and warm smile was all Alfred needed to know that his Slytherin boyfriend loved it, and him._

X

"Oi, wanker. You're early. What a surprise." Alfred whipped around excitedly, happy that his love finally made it.

"Well, yea, I wanted to surprise you, and I figured being early would be the best way!"

The older Slytherin rolled his eyes, but didn't try to hide the fond smile."Oh, goody for me." He looked around quickly before wrapping his arms around his younger love's waist, confident that no one could see them. "I missed you."

The Gryffindor grinned, chuckling. "Aw, but babe, you just saw me not that long ago."

"Yes, but it feels like ages. I'm so exhausted." Arthur nuzzled his face in the crook of the taller boy's neck, sighing. "All this preparation to graduate is... tiring."

Alfred reached up and ran his fingers through his boyfriend's hair. "Aw, poor baby. Shouldn't you be happy, though? You're top of the class and everything!"

"Mmph."

"Arthur... You're still not hung up on thinking that once you leave, I'll find someone else, are you?" The silence that followed his question answered for him. "Babe...Really now, that's just - "

"Don't you dare say silly, Jones!" The bespectacled boy looked down in shock when Arthur's head suddenly popped up."You can't even begin to understand how - how _frightening_ this is for me!"

Alfred could see it coming, his Brit was about to go off the deep end with a rant. He couldn't blame him, what with him unable to handle stress well and the ceremony and the ridiculous notion of Alfred leaving him.There was only one way to stop him, and did just that as he leaned down and firmly planted his lips against Arthur's.

"Artie, babe, c'mon now... It'll never happen. I love you way too much." He stealthily reached his hand into his robe, confident that _now_ was the right time to do what he had been planning since this summer. He wanted to do this while it was snowing, because it wouldn't hold as much meaning if he didn't.

"Alfie... what are you doing?" The Slytherin blinked in confusion as the Gryffindor pulled away and got on one knee, looking up at him with so much adoration and love.

"Arthur Kirkland, Seventh year from House Slytherin, possibly the most amazing person I'll ever had the pleasure to know, and most important person in my life and heart... Will you marry me?" In that moment, he pulled out a velvet ring box and opened it, revealing a small and delicate ring, silver with strands of gold entwining with it.

"Oh god... Oh _yes_!" The American toppled to the ground as he was tackled, embraced in the tightest hug he probably had ever received. "You giant sap, the snow? While it was snowing? Really?"

"Well, of course, really!" He laughed, clutching his love against his chest. "The snow is what brought us together, it was only right that I ask for us to stay together always in the snow."

Neither moved, even thought the wet fluff was seeping into their robes. To them, it just felt like the snow was congratulating them. After all, it _was_ what brought them together.

**A/N: Whoooooooooooo! I cannot even begin to tell you how much I **_**loved**_** typing this! Once again, I have to thank Sora Resi for inspiring me. I really need to start paying you, poppet. No one else indulgences my rambling and inspires me like you do. I hope you like this, dearie, because I dedicate this to you. If I could write a tenth as well as you, I would die very happy indeed.**


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